Should the electoral college be abolished? In today's Academic Minute, American Public University's Stephen Schwalbe details why that might not be the best course of action. Schwalbe is program director of political science at American Public University.

Alumna and 2016-17 Teacher of the Year for Florence School District One, Mary Woodward, speaks with WPDE (ABC15) and says, "My greatest contribution and accomplishment in education is teaching my students that they may be one of many, but they are all unique, talented, courageous, beautiful, loved and valued individuals, and the world could not move forward without them.”

APUS has been recognized as one of the nation’s 361 most environmentally-responsible colleges by The Princeton Review for its sustainability-based academic offerings and career preparation for students, policies, initiatives and activities. The Review chose the colleges based on weighted scores from its 2015-16 survey of school administrators and student ratings of how sustainability issues influenced their education; adminis­tration and student support for environmental awareness and conservation efforts; and the visibility and impact of student environmental groups.

Powell said working with local businesses is one way APUS works to contribute to the Eastern Panhandle and West Virginia economy. “To help employers find good, dependable, well-trained employees, we have about 100 different degree programs all focused on the different areas, and we have for each of those areas created industry advisory councils inviting members of the business and workforce community,” Powell said. “They come at least once a year and tell us what are the job skills needed in those areas … and they give us feedback on our learning objectives, on our course materials, then we work to listen to them and integrate those changes into our curriculum.”

APUS has been recognized as a "Best Bang for the Buck" for 2016 by Washington Monthly Magazine in its annual college rankings. APUS ranked fourth overall out of 100 southeastern public, private and for-profit schools evaluated on a broad spectrum of student completion, debt and affordability metrics, and was the highest-rated school in its sector.

Technology-driven and student-centered, APUS is employing exceptional tools to improve engagement and success. Associate Provost of Academic Effectiveness and Student Success, Dr. Gwen Hall, explores how working groups got to know their students’ risks and rewards with Illume®, and then performed more than 100,000 student outreaches in one semester with Inspire for Faculty. Learn how they were able to see a measurable lift in successful course completion as an initial cohort of more than 1,000 faculty embrace a new way of captivating their students.

Alumna, Lauren Levy, discusses her latest feature in EdNewsDaily.com that discusses how teachers must pursue an alternative method, so that students receive purposeful, powerful social studies instruction. It has been found that a more literature-based approach to social studies instruction is extremely consistent with the goals and standards of NCSS. The knowledge, skills and attitudes required for civic competence have been replaced with rote memorization of historical facts; the use of literature can show students how social studies are still relevant today.

Dr. Herma Percy, a Homeland Security expert, was quoted on WJLA saying, “The key to preventing an attack like the one that happened in Nice comes down to people waking up. We really need unconditional public involvement in order to combat extremism.”

Yocencia Deal, Associate Vice President Graduate & International Admissions, shares with MAE&T how AMU has refined the admissions process to ensure a better user experience. By instituting ClearPath and other unique learning tools and veterans resources and eliminating Transfer Credit Evaluation Fees and admissions application fees, prospective students and their families are finding this the most affordable option for earning a reputable degree.

SpiritofJefferson.com features Dr. Karan Powell and highlights her background steeped in education. The new president, a George Mason University alumna and secretary of both the Higher Education Resources Services board and Association of Chief Academic Officers, is a natural fit for this leading-edge institution.

Karan Powell is quoted in The Journal saying, “I am truly honored to have the opportunity to continue Dr. Boston’s successful legacy in serving APUS in this new role,” said Dr. Powell. “I look forward to working with the leadership team to help advance our core mission of educating those who serve, with an ongoing commitment to academic excellence and affordability.”

In The Evollution, Grady Batchelor, AVP for the Center for Teaching and Learning, with Elizabeth Gray and Nancy Heath, Faculty Training Developer and Assurance System Writer for Assessment and Accreditation, respectively, agreed that developing a coaching and mentoring program for institutional faculty ensures that postsecondary educators will have the skills and support necessary to deliver highly engaging learning experiences for today’s students.

The Dreamit Ventures-based alumni engagement startup, founded by CEO Melissa Schipke, won a total of $60,000 in prize money, taking home both the $20,000 Venture Path prize from the American Public University System and the $40,000 Milken Family Foundation Grand Prize.

The Journal shares how this highly-ranked institution is continuing its outreach to local veterans with the grand opening of the university’s new Veterans Center, which will provide veterans with a place to study, prepare for careers and meet other veterans.

George Vukovich, director of veterans outreach, discusses with “Military Times” the major impact the Veterans Center and other brick-and-mortar buildings are having on the students as well as the outlying Charles Town community. The resources available at the Veterans Center are designed to make the “college experience” an easier transition for service members providing learning tools to enhance their basic skills (i.e. reading, writing, math).

Chris Reynolds, Vice President of Academic Communications and Outeach, tells Evolllution Blog how the higher ed landscape is changing with influences being the Post 9/11 GI Bill and the new generation bringing much higher tech-savvy capabilities (and expectations) to the table, the proliferation of online higher education, and the push for generations’ who more competency-based education programs.

Marie Gould Harper, program director of management, shared in the Business of People article that the BA and MA programs are recognized by the Society ofor Human Resource Management (SHRM), the world’s largest HR organization, as being aligned with its HR curriculum guidelines.

Anthony Mangeri, director of strategic relations for fire services and emergency management, and an expert in public safety, shared tips and communications best practices in “Domestic Preparedness” for PIOs and other personnel to plan, execute, and respond more effectively and efficiently in times of crisis and emergencies.

Erik Kleinsmith, a terrorism expert, explained that for a radical Islamist group like ISIS, “Women will rarely be accepted in leadership positions…an exception to this would be in isolated or self-radicalized cells that would then pattern the particular host society, such as one in a more Western country.”

Jeff Gardner, assistant professor of homeland security studies, said terror groups were exploiting kinship because the bonds are forged far deeper in Islamic communities than in the west. Strategic intelligence relationships vice president Erik Kleinsmith said, “Identifying brothers is an advantage both in the training aspect and for bonding them within the operation, because they will move and work together.”

Brady Locher, executive director of the Center for Corporate and Professional Development, discusses the trending integration of on-the-ground executive education with virtual experiences before, during and after in-person learning.

Dr. Ernest L. Hughes, Associate Professor, Transportation & Logistics Management expressed in the DC Velocity Blog that excellence in supply chain performance is often characterized in terms of a capability or maturity model. In addition to providing a framework for understanding and managing the inherent detailed and dynamic complexity of an organization’s supply chain, a maturity model can provide a roadmap for improvement.

Marcia Powers shares her expertise in Career and Job Services with Careers in Government. Here, she discusses how to create a cover letter that will enhance your job search and show your unique attributes. She maintains that a personalized, quality cover letter will help you stand out among the competition!

Wes O’Donnell, military veteran and empowerment and leadership expert, shares profound insight in his article exposing the epidemic of suicide among service members–especially those that served during the Vietnam era.

John Aldrich, associate vice president for military relations, discusses with MilitaryTimes.com how guidance counselors and the personal interaction has helped thousands of service members graduate from college–including him–as opposed to digital tools like the Via program.

Christopher L. McFarlin, who specializes in law enforcement and the criminal justice system, says in MultiBrief that it’s not that easy. “One of the basic foundations of Fourth Amendment jurisprudence is the right of people to be secure in their persons and property from unreasonable government intrusion,” McFarlin said. “The decision as to whose interests are more compelling is resolved by performing a balancing test whereby the reasonable privacy interest of citizens and their right to be secure are weighed against the needs of the government, i.e. law enforcement, to protect society.”

When America’s military men and women pledge to protect and serve their nation to the best of their ability, they mean it. It is no surprise, then, that current and former servicemembers often feel driven to continue pursuing these ideals they committed to in the uniform by donning a different attire—scrubs. “Nursing requires a high level of professionalism, excellent communication skills, critical thinking and teamwork,” explained Mandy Milot, program director of nursing at American Military University. She continued, “Students with a military background exhibit these attributes and others which contribute to a collegial culture essential for current nursing practice.” Graduates of nursing degree programs have a wide variety of career opportunities in settings including hospitals, outpatient centers, community clinics, physician offices, schools and eldercare facilities.

John Aldrich, VP, Military, Veterans & Community College Relations, shares with MAE&T the university’s overall mission, and sheds light on technological challenges more progressive higher ed institutions face and how we’re working to overcome them.

In MultiBrief, Dr. Robert Carter, a public health expert, explores issues in this sector and suggests that public health priorities must be combined with the priorities of personalized medicine to ensure population health objectives are on target. Furthermore, research initiatives must continue to investigate healthcare inequality, access to care and the numerous socioeconomic factors that contribute to disparities in disease and disability.

Dr. William Oliver Hedgepeth, Program Director, Government Contracts, dissects logistics in supply chain management with DC Velocity and how it is the job of the logistician to understand track and trace analysis and determine the insights needed for the most cost-effective handling of goods.

Student Mason Pooler asks, “What will be the cost to the government in terms of the quality and effectiveness of its workforce?” if compensations like pensions and insurances are cut for public servants.

Featured in correctionsone.com, Dr. Jade Pumphrey, criminal justice and public safety expert, discusses the disparities in sentencing between minority offenders and their Caucasian counterparts. Substantial numbers of cases suggest hidden biases that influence the severity of sentencing.

Criminal Justice professor and fingerprint expert, Dena Weiss, discusses with InPublicSafety.com how continuous training and exposure to new forensic technologies is critical for officers who work in the field. Weiss also lends useful tips on collecting DNA and other crucial data.

Intelligence expert, Erik Kleinsmith, examines how threat profiling can be used to predict terrorist attacks and how Information about the perpetrators and their insidious plans are often hidden among varying reports, databases, and even open-source outlets–like news media reports or information on social media.

Dr. William Oliver Hedgepeth is an expert in logistics/supply chain and a program director for Government Contracts and Acquisition. He is the former program director of Reverse Logistics Management and Transportation and Logistics Management. His breadth of knowledge provided insight into MultiBrief’s article about product information codes and the decision on which to use (consumer vs. manufacturer) in retail.

John F. Hein is a Federal Criminal Investigator, adjunct instructor of criminal justice and a member of ASIS International, an association of security professionals who shared with Police One that the overarching police culture must change from the perception of insensitivity and force to one of patience and tolerance.

Brenda Rector is an adjunct professor for the Transportation and Logistics Management Program and has also been in the military and civilian transportation and logistics industry for nearly 15 years. She weighs in on DC Velocity’s article about road deterioration and how it impacts industry and the economy.

The Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) and the Aspen Institute UpSkill America initiative released a report investigating the disconnect between the numerous development opportunities that companies offer and the lack of career mobility that frontline workers face. Mentioned in the report is the strategic Walmart and APU partnership that will set the bar for similar alliances.

Dr. William Oliver Hedgepeth is the program director for Government Contracts and Acquisition and often weighs in on logistics issues. Multi-Briefs examines the hoverboard, which Hedgepath says can be a metaphor for how WHAT we teach is not how we produce a perfect product. Courses in the field of logistics and supply chain management extol the virtues and economics of cost effectiveness, cost efficiency and quality control — if everyone along the supply chain works together.

A weather station and system recently installed on the University’s campus can now help provide more localized information and weather forecasts. Through the forward-thinking of Dr. Wally Boston, WeatherSTEM serves as a learning management system technology that will be a teaching tool for those students and individuals with a passion for meteorology.

Dr. Monique M. Maldonado, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, an educational consultant, researcher and writer is an associate professor for the School of Security and Global Studies in Homeland Security Computer security, and she provided some in-depth insight to PA Times into the rapidly-growing epidemic of Cyber Terrorism. This has been a prominent issue within the United States over the past decade, and with international and domestic adversaries attempting to destroy our virtual blueprint, it is inevitable that cyber attacks will worsen if the government does not devise an innovative, solid plan.

Tommy Rector is an assistant professor for the Transportation and Logistics Management Program, and he discusses with DC Velocity the possibilities ahead with autonomous vehicles. They are, in fact, becoming a reality but Rector states that once we see passenger cars driving themselves, it is only a matter of time before we start seeing semi-tractors with the same systems. The obvious question to those of us who care about the industry is, when the trucks become autonomous, will this put out truck drivers out of a job?

As we start 2016, our elderly population in the United States continues steadily increase. The number of people 65 years old and older is expected to rise by 101 percent between 2000 and 2030, at a rate of 2.3 percent each year.Among the elderly, dementia is very common. This disease can interfere with the activities of daily living and affect one's mental status, including memory loss, confusion, inability to speak and write, mood swings and poor judgment. As a society, we need to help our elderly population age with dignity, and ensure the baby boomer generation is ready and prepared to enjoy their later lives.

Area residents can take advantage of the new center designed for small businesses and start-ups; A wealth of business and professional resources are ready to be tapped into that can jumpstart these innovative enterprises.

Dr. Tom Frieden of the CDC discussed with Ebun O. Ebunlomo, Ph.D., MPH, MCHES, PHR, a healthcare administration and public health instructor and expert, discussed the state or public health in MultiBrief, and reflected on APHA’s theme “health in all policies” as an approach that recognizes that synergies can be achieved when all segments of society work together.

Jennifer Cramer, anthropology professor and international expert, shared light-hearted insight with Blogher about how lessons in the classroom can actually prepare you for “real life”. In the post they discuss giving birth, child rearing and the important role other family members play in raising children–especially after weaning.

Your reputation is the most important career capital you have and it precedes you. Linda Barnes, a management and program analyst with the Internal Revenue Service, where she specializes in human resource and administrative matters, weighs in on these critical soft skills with patimes.org.

Dr. Ronald C. Johnson in the School of Business pulls from personal experience when examining living and working overseas. He tells Blogher that living and working in a foreign land will be one of the most challenging, rewarding, and, at times, exasperating experiences of your career.

Jacquelyn Brookins, a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, talks to Careers in Government about professional etiquette; specifically being late to the office. While showing up late to work or meetings may appear to be the new normal, being on time builds trust with colleagues and shows that you are dependable. And that NEVER goes out of style.

Jon Mikolashek is an associate professor of History and worked as an historian for the United States Army Center of Military History at Ft. McNair in Washington, D.C. He spoke with Military1 about team building. In this era of sequestration and reduced budgets, military leaders are struggling to find ways to train and ready their units and staffs. Without an end in sight to budget issues, it is time for military commanders to consider a traditional method to help train their soldiers and build team unity: the staff ride.

Dr. Robert Lee Gordon, an expert in reverse logistics, shows us how the future is now when speaking about Warren Bennis’ predictions about automated factories and the rapidly-approaching decline of human manpower.

Angela Dehart, Ambassador and Army Intelligence veteran, raises questions for serious thought on Blogher as she explores the lessons we are truly teaching our children about personal success. By putting a few occupations on a pedestal too high for most to reach, we’ve created an environment of high stress for our children and set them up for a lifetime of a false sense of failure.

About American Public University System

American Public University System, recipient of the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) Ralph E. Gomory Award for Quality Online Education and five-time recipient of the OLC Effective Practice Award, offers more than 200 online degree and certificate programs through American Military University and American Public University. More than 70,000 alumni worldwide have benefited from APUS's relevant curriculum, affordability, and flexibility in pursuing and earning degrees in such areas as business, information technology, and security and global studies. For further information, visit www.apus.edu.

American Public University System (APUS) is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Public Education, Inc. (APEI). Pursuant to a contractual arrangement, APEI provides certain services for the benefit of APUS, subject to APUS oversight and ultimate authority. Pursuant to a license, APEI may use APUS’s trademarks and other intellectual property in its performance of those services. American Public University System, American Public University, and American Military University are not affiliated with American University or the U.S. Military.